infodumping n.

the practice of using infodump n. in literature

SF Criticism

  • 1995 Interzone July 57/3 page image

    Pulp sf writers in general had not yet contrived to standardize a vocabulary of images and a narrative method which would permit the construction of imaginary worlds without recourse to massively cumbersome info-dumping.

  • 1996 Interzone May 59/1

    Previous authors attempting to broaden out their vision of the future by ladling dollops of the Encyclopedia Galactica into their work—usually as chapter introductions—had generally been thought guilty of the bad practice of ‘info-dumping’.

  • 1999 Interzone July 62/3

    Apart from Alex’s occasional commentary in A Clockwork Orange, the aforementioned plays rely entirely on dialogue for infodumping and scene description—which, to the scriptwriters' credit, is never contrived or obtrusive.

  • 2003 G. Jonas Science Fiction in N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 9 Nov. 26/1

    In Mockeymen (Golden Gryphon, $26.95), Ian Watson raises infodumping to the level of art.

Research requirements

antedating 1999
Earliest cite

in the New York Times Book Review
Research History
Jeff Prucher submitted a 2003 cite from the NYT book review.

We would like citations of any date from other authors.

Last modified 2021-11-06 14:09:29
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.